Wondering About The Fit

[usmc0341]

Crappy as always Josh....

[Josh Ashman]

6 minutes ago, usmc0341 said:

Crappy as always Josh....

Semper Fi!

[JLSleather]

4 hours ago, longun45 said:

this problem solved on youtube and the Gentleman's name is Sam Andrews

Sam did a great job on that video -- it's the ONLY one I recommend to people wanting to make holsters.  Dialing it back just a tad --- Sam seems like a friendly, knowledgeable fella, but he didn't invent this

Josh, looks like you got some pretty good mileage.

[JimTimber]

Longgun45, that's not a 50/50 pancake.  Sam makes the proper version of a two-layer OWB holster, he just calls it a pancake.  Since my rationale isn't good enough, maybe someone should ask Sam why he doesn't make 50/50's? 

[usmc0341]

2 minutes ago, JimTimber said:

Longgun45, that's not a 50/50 pancake.  Sam makes the proper version of a two-layer OWB holster, he just calls it a pancake.  Since my rationale isn't good enough, maybe someone should ask Sam why he doesn't make 50/50's? 

And while you have him on the phone ask why he needs to add a tension screw.  Look at Milt Sparks, Del Fatti, Alessi, any of the big maker's holsters and you will see they are 50/50 pancakes.  The wheel has already been invented, I'm not sure why this is such a debate.  Each design has it's own pro's and con's, as for me I have made all of my pancake holsters the 50/50 way and have yet to have an issue.  

[JLSleather]

1 minute ago, usmc0341 said:

Look at Milt Sparks, Del Fatti, Alessi, any of the big maker's holsters

I don't count "numbers" as equals skill or value.  I see thousands of junk projects sold every day.  The pet rock sold like 6 MILLION copies, and then there was an "imitation" pet rock... and then a couple years later they were re-introduced and advertised as the "original" pet rock.  Millions sold, but it was a rock in a box. With "air holes" for the rock.  That people were ignorant enough to buy them (often because the neighbor did, so I should too)... did not make them any "better"

I doubt that anyone here makes anywhere near as much money as Spongebob Squarepants.  So, is he smarter than us?  Maybe more talented?   I make a joke of it, but the idea is quite real.  

Really, it's good sometimes to differentiate between facts and "marketing" spiel.  I read somewhere once that Bianchi "invented" some 30,000 holsters.  But a quick glance showed that one "design" was a simple fold-over taco thing, sewn up the seam.  Then another was teh same holster, but they added a hammer strap.  And a third "design" was teh same holster with a trigger strap... etc..  Nothing against Bianchi or anyone who works with/for them -- but I'm not maybe as susceptible to advertising as some others.  Adding or mentioning somebody's name to make something seem more legitimate just doesnt' work on me - means nothing.  

I've made a couple holsters over the years.  And out of a bazillion (well, quite a few to some  ) I've had this "issue" exactly twice.  Each time, they asked for that '50/50' thing, and when they got binding I made them a replacement which was nearly flat in the back, which solved the issue completely.

I agree that it doesn't need to be a 'debate'.  Each his own.  

 

[Josh Ashman]

Del Fatti, Alessi, Sparks? Clearly all makers of crappy holsters looking to cut corners.

 

[chiefjason]

I'm an absolute, dedicated, fanatical flat back guy.  Period.  I love them.  Some of that is fit, some is the simplification of the pattern process.  I have a gun mold coming for a holster.  It's a CZ75d PCR.  The guy has already paid.  In my mind the clock starts when I get the mold.  But we all know it started when I received the funds.  I could spend hours tweaking a pattern "just for this gun".  But instead I'll get a pattern that is close, usually a touch larger than necessary.  Cut the pattern out.  Mold the front.  Glue it to the back.  Then get to work finishing it up.  I have had guys bring a gun in that I had never worked with and sent them out the door with it 2 hours later while I kept the glued roughed out holster to finish.  For a small time, part time guy without a lot of extra tinker time it's a life saver for me.  I wear one and love it.  I built them and other folks love them.  I've got a kind of cult following around here based on flat back OWB holsters.  And I'll tell you for sure, I can make one too tight if I'm not careful.  And that is before you put it on.  But they seem to break in a lot faster than other holsters.  

Tutorial I did if anyone cares.  Better explanation here. 

I mold in a sight channel for mine.  But only 3/4.  Plenty of room for the gun to be pulled up and start rotating it forward to draw.  At that point any sight drag is on the top edge of the holster if you really rake it forward instead of up.  

A buddy just had me replaces a belt slide that I did for him, also flat backed.  When he bought it he told me not to be offended but he would hit me up in about 3 years for another one.  5 years later he hits me up.  Not because he needed one, plenty of life left in his words.  But because it was time to get a new one in his mind.  

As to waist size, if they bring it up in the process I'll sometimes point them to trailing loop or avenger style holsters.  They seem to work better than pancakes for really thin folks.  They just take up less real estate.  

[JLSleather]

  That's funny!

I have always made holsters based on what I like (barring specific requests).  Never give much thought to what somebody else is doing - -don't really care.

But, so much went on about some "big names", that I checked.  And the funny part?  At least one of the "names" people seem to like to throw around to 'justify' simple holsters... DelFatty actually states (on that site) " might find that the wings bind the weapon because they are pulled in to the waist so abruptly. "

That's worth one more of these

[Josh Ashman]

3 minutes ago, JLSleather said:

  That's funny!

I have always made holsters based on what I like (barring specific requests).  Never give much thought to what somebody else is doing - -don't really care.

But, so much went on about some "big names", that I checked.  And the funny part?  At least one of the "names" people seem to like to throw around to 'justify' simple holsters... DelFatty actually states (on that site) " might find that the wings bind the weapon because they are pulled in to the waist so abruptly. "

That's worth one more of these

This whole thread is so damn dumb I can't believe I'm still sucked in.

But here I am...

JLS, I bolded and underlined "might". Nobody is "justifying" a thing by noting that 50/50 type holsters work well for a lot of people. That's pretty obvious to anyone with a brain. Your free patterns and advice are appreciated by a bunch of starting out leather workers and I applaud you for your efforts to be helpful. I also recognize that you a fine leather worker and make quality gear. That said, much like Sam, you haven't invented any of this and in my opinion you're wrong every now and then. I don't use falling down laughing emoticons to point out where I think you're wrong as that seems like a real jerk thing to do.

ChiefJason, I'm happy that you're doing so well with the flat backed holsters. Some of us are just as happy and proud of our holsters that aren't flat backed. 

Jim Timber, what the hell does a hem do on a holster?